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To: SeekAndFind
Ethiopia was a net food EXPORTER, thanks to Oklahoma State University back in the 1950's and early 60's. They shared farming techniques, technology, seed improvements, and everything else. Then, as usual, the Socialists took over. You may have heard about Ethiopia's reputation since then.

Africa (and Socialism) wins again.

9 posted on 07/25/2014 7:24:24 AM PDT by Teacher317 (We have now sunk to a depth at which restatement of the obvious is the first duty of intelligent men)
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To: Teacher317

“Ethiopia was a net food EXPORTER...in the 1950’s and early 60’s...Then, as usual, the Socialists took over.”

That is something that many Americans don’t appreciate - Ethiopia was a great nation (the only African nation not colonized by Europeans), brought low by socialist policies and a harsh communist dictatorship (the Derg). Their former dictator (Mengistu) now lives in Zimbabwe, after having massacred a half million in his Red Terror. Collectivist policies devastated agriculture, and starvation was a political weapon of the regime.

After the fall of the Soviet Union, the Derg were driven from power, and when the civil war with Eritrea was resolved around 2000, Ethiopia was open for business. With over 90 million people with rock bottom wages, they were ripe to compete as low-cost producers. The Chinese set up a lot of operations there, resulting in a decade of very high growth rates in GDP (from a very low base).

Ethiopian-Americans, like Cuban-Americans tend to be more conservative than other immigrants from their respective regions, having experienced real socialism in action. They are majority Christian, and the Ethiopian kingdom of Axum was among the first countries to accept Christianity. Ethiopians tend to be pro-American, and one of the largest Ethiopian communities outside of Ethiopia, is around Washington, D.C. and Northern Virginia. Republicans should really do more outreach to them.


10 posted on 07/25/2014 8:06:07 AM PDT by BeauBo
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